Franklin & Marshall College

General Information

The purpose of this process is to improve the quality of services provided, to promote a high level of public confidence, and to enhance and maintain the professional integrity of this department and its members.  That is, the Franklin & Marshall Department of Public Safety / Campus Police (FMDPS) and its members will perform their duties within the boundaries of established contemporary legal and ethical standards.  The department will establish and promote these standards through clear, written, policy statements and rules and regulations, and through the thorough and impartial investigation of all allegations of misconduct or complaints regarding the directives of the department.

A formal procedure to receive, document, and investigate all citizen complaints allows the department to monitor and enforce standards, and is the administrative statement that behavior deviating from these adopted standards will not be tolerated.  With a meaningful and effective procedure for handling citizen complaints, we believe citizen confidence in the integrity of the department and its employees will be achieved and maintained.

It is the policy of the department to accept, document, review, and investigate all instances of alleged misconduct, to include complaints regarding the directives or procedures of the department, and to equitably determine whether the allegations are valid or invalid and to take appropriate action.  All allegations of misconduct will be investigated, regardless of whether initiated by citizen complaint, other external agencies, internally generated, or discovered through the internal review and administrative processes of the department.

It should be understood that the department expects and receives the highest degree of integrity from its members, and accordingly presumes, unless evidence is discovered to the contrary, that all employee actions are performed in good faith.

Procedures for Filing a Complaint Against Police

All citizen complaints pertaining to departmental policies or procedures, or that allege officer misconduct, shall be documented and investigated by the department. Citizens who have complaints should expect action. All complaints shall be accepted in a courteous, understanding, and professional manner.

Forms are available in the following locations:

• Department of Public Safety headquarters, Marshall-Buchanan located on the main campus in the bump out of Marshall-Buchanan Hall.
• Department of Public Safety website, /publicsafety

Complaints may be submitted in the following ways: in person, in writing or submitted electronically from the DPS website.

• In person: Please hand deliver to the Department of Public Safety headquarters, located on the main campus in the bump out of Marshall-Buchanan Hall.
• Mail: Send to the Chief, Director of Public Safety, Franklin & Marshall College Lancaster PA 17604-3003.
• Fax completed complaint form to: FMDPS c/o Chief, Director at 717-358-4579.
• Electronic Submission: Please click on the "Forms" icon to the right, which may be accessed from any page within the Department of Public Safety website.

Investigation of Complaints

Upon receipt of a citizen complaint, the Office of the Department of public Safety shall contact the citizen and advise him/her that the matter is under investigation. If necessary, the citizen shall also receive periodic status reports regarding the investigation. Upon completion of the investigation, the citizen will receive written notice of the final disposition of the case from the Office of the Chief of Police.

Citizens whose complaints have been investigated by the FMDPS who are unsatisfied with the results may contact the office of the Vice President for Administration at 717-291-3993.